This invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating the resuscitation of deep water fish brought up from depth by releasably reintroducing them to deep water with as little physiological trauma as possible by use of a fish reviver, releasably securing a fish to an appendage thereof, and quickly lowering the fish back downward into the water to substantially the same depth from which the fish was initially caught.
For years fishermen have caught fish of every species and size wherever and whenever they chose, however, with the rising demand for fish by consumers around the world has come a reciprocal drop in the availability of many species and, in particular, with the portions of the species mature enough to reproduce and perpetuate the species. It has become the case that quite often fishermen must return particularly undersized fish back to the ocean because they were either not big enough to provide substantial sport or food or they must be released to encourage the further growth and breeding of the species. Recently the increase of both commercial and sport fishing has prompted government regulations at both state and federal levels, often making it illegal to catch and keep undersized and/or immature fish.
Deep sea and sport fishing often involves the catching of fish from substantial depths, in particular depths wherein the water pressure is a significant environmental factor effecting the fish""s physiology. The depth at which such fish are caught can range down to depths in the hundreds of feet which presents a particular problem with the return of undersized or immature fish which are required or desired to be returned to their original environment.
In particular, as is well known in the art, the retrieval and capture of any fish from deep water causes a substantial decrease in the surrounding pressure effecting the fish as it is brought to the surface of the water, resulting in a rapid decompression of the fish. Such a decrease in pressure over a short amount of time causes significant physiological changes in the fish. Fish brought up quickly from depth are particularly susceptible to ruptured swim bladders, bloated bodies and distended organs when the compressed air at depth expands substantially as the fish is bought to the surface.
The swim bladder of a fish is essentially a buoyancy tank containing an amount of compressed air or gas and used by the fish to regulate its depth. A fish is weightless in water (neutrally buoyant) where the size of the swimbladder is 5 to 7% of its total body volume. Normally, as a fish changes depth, the swimbladder inflates to the correct volume to equal the pressure of the water. Pressure typically increases by 1 atmosphere every 33 feet of water depth. From the surface to 33 feet, the pressure is 1 atmosphere (14.7 lbs/sq. in.). At 34 feet, the pressure increases toward 2 atmospheres, etc. Following the laws of physics and the expansion of gases under pressure, the swimbladder gases compress with increased pressure and expand when the pressure decreases. Therefore, as the fish swims down, the pressure increases, the swimbladder gases compress, and the fish becomes heavier than water. As the fish swims toward the surface, it needs to become lighter, so the swimbladder gases expand as the pressure decreases.
Under normal conditions, diffusion of swim bladder gases through the blood capillary system, is effective. The problem arises when the fish is brought rapidly to the surface from any appreciable depth. The swim bladder gases expand, due to the fairly rapid changes in pressure, at a rate at which the fish""s physiology is unable to compensate and the swim bladder ruptures. Rapid expansion of the swim bladder gases can lead to bloating, ruptured swim bladders, and in some cases protrusion of internal organs and eyes, and embolisms. As is to be expected, such physiological changes in a fish are detrimental to its survival and timely re-introduction of the fish to its capture depth is necessary in order to increase any chance of survival.
These physiological changes, in particular the rupture of the swim bladder, cause release of the fish at the water surface to be particularly futile. With its swim bladder ruptured and its body distended and inflated, the fish cannot sink or swim back down to its capture depth. Furthermore, the fish becomes more disoriented and lethargic the longer it is kept at the surface of the water due to rapid decompression and the substantial pressure differential and therefor, in order to survive must be timely reintroduced to substantially the same depth from which it was caught.
Previous methods of re-introducing the fish to a capture depth and relieving the pressure within its body have proved only marginally effectual and added further soft tissue damage to the fish. One method punctures the fish""s body cavity with a sharp object such as a hypodermic needle or a knife to relieve the pressure and merely drop the fish back into the water. As can be appreciated, relieving the pressure within the fish in such a manner may enable the fish to sink down into the water but will obviously cause further trauma to its soft tissue. If the fish is lucky, it might survive and be able to swim back to depth where it may revive, however, on the surface it is still disoriented and may not have the presence of mind or the ability to swim back downwards to depth. Furthermore, even if the fish is able to swim back down to depth and revive for a time, the puncture wound can easily become infected or the wound will trigger other fish to consume the wounded creature and the fish will only survive for a short period of time.
Another method leaves the fish on the hook and a fisherman simply adds a weight to the line and returns the fish back down to depth still on the hook, however the problem arises in that the fisherman must then get the fish off the hook at a desired depth. This is accomplished by trailing the line, hook and fish at depth behind the boat, the fisherman quickly throttles the boat forward to a high speed such that the hook is yanked from the fish""s mouth. As is to be expected, this too causes trauma and damage to the fish which makes survival of the fish particularly tenuous.
Wherefore, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the above noted drawbacks associated with the prior art devices.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple, reliable and effective apparatus for returning a fish to a depth from which it was initially caught.
Another object of the invention is to provide a simple apparatus which does not increase the physiological damage to the fish caused by its capture and removal at a desired depth.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a cheap and efficient apparatus which can be used by any sport and commercial fisherman with little instruction or skill.
A further object of the intention is to provide a reviver which is easily utilized by a single fisherman or perhaps with the assistance of a partner to easily return fish to the same depth from which it was initially captured.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be quickly attached and detached from a fishing line such that return of the fish to the proper capture depth takes a minimal amount of time and effort.
The present invention relates to a fish reviver for reviving deep water fish brought up from depth by reintroducing them to deep water whereby the fish is rapidly recompressed. The fish which has been caught and brought to the surface, and which must be returned, is attached, via an inverted hook mechanism on the fish reviver having a securing catch to releasably affix the fish to the reviver. The fish and fish reviver are then attached to a free spinning rod and reel and returned via a weight pulling the reviver and fish downward to depth from the free spinning rod and reel to approximately the depth from which the fish was taken. The weight further causes the catch to be opened and thus the fish, upon being reentered to substantially the depth from which it was taken, is sufficiently revived and capable of naturally swimming off the inverted hook in a normal swimming motion.